Signaling sytem.



R. .I. HEWETT.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZT- I915.

I QII fifi II I Patented Feb. 13, 1917/.

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SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 27. 1915.

1 1 @23 1 Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

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R. J. HEWETT.

SIGNALINGWSYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 27. ms.

LQ1623 1 m Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

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PQQBERT HEXVETT, GE W'ESTLFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed March 2'7,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT J. Hnwntrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Westfield, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to normal danger automatic block signal systems for single and double-track railways. The essential features of the invention, however, may be applied to manual and semi-manual signaling. The object of my invention is to secure an automatic and reliable system, while at the same time using a minimum number of wires between adjacent signals. My invention also has for its object the saving in relays and other accessories as compared with systems of this character as heretofore con stituted.

My invention is particularly adapted to what are generally known as the threeposition signals, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it may be also applied to home and distant signals. In the following description it will be described as applied to three-position signals, and also as applied to a double-track road, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it may be applied to single-track roads as well. Y

My invention will be more clearly understood by reading the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specilication, and in which- Figure 1 shows a system with one signal moved. to the 45 position and two signals in normal danger position;

Fig. 2 shows a system with one signal at 90, another at 45, and the third at normal danger; and

Fig. 3 shows a train in block section ex tending from signal W to signal X.

This invention relates particularly to improvements in polarized control circuits as applied to three-position automatic signaling. Polarized control circuits, as heretofore used, provide for two functlons only,-

,1 that is, one function which controls the movement of the semaphore arm from zero to 45, which movement is caused by the action of a negative current on the polar neutral. line relay, and another function which controls the movement of the sema Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 191% 1915. Seria1No.1'7,-314.

phore arm from 45 to 90, which move ment is caused by the actlon of a pos1t1ve current on the polar neutral line relay. A i3W0W116 metallic circuit would therefore be suflicient for normal clear signaling.

Where normal danger signaling is required, it is necessary to use a third function, which was heretofore effected by a third wire and usually termed a clearing wire. That is, for normal danger signals a three-wire circuit arrangement was required in prior installations.

By means of my invention this third or clearing wire is eliminated, the third or clearing function, as well as the control and distant functions, being secured over a single wire. The clearing function is secured by increasing the value of the current, first, negative; next, positive, in the two-wire polarized circuits. Thus, in the block ex tending from the signal W to signal X, the metallic circuit, composed of line 12 and common wire 0, which closed by the approach of a train from left to right, will first carry a negative current to clear signal W from zero to 45 5 next, this negative current is increased in value to clear signal X from zero degrees to 45; and third, this increased negative current is reversed to clear signal W from 45 to 90.

Referring to Fig. 1, the signal stations B and C are shown in normal condition, while at station A signal W has been moved to the 45 position. This condition arose upon the approach of a train which has not relay 2]. is energized and its contacts 1 and 2 are closed. The control circuit from sig 11:11 W to signal X is as follows: from c0mmon wire 0, contact 1, 2, wire 3,800 and 100 ohm coils in series, of polar neutral line relay 7, wire 8, front contact 9, of track relay C line wire 12, front contact 13, 15 of track realy (Z at signal X; wire 16, pole changer switclrbar 17, wire 18, battery 19, wire 20, normally denergized line relay 21, wire 22, pole changer switch-bar 23' to common wire 0 and back to the point of beginning, signal W.

The current, say, negative, in this circuit is now effective through the 800 and ohm coils of polar neutral. relay 7 at signal. W in series, and it will be energized and further throw its polar contact finger 31 to the left and also close its neutral contacts yet entered the track section 7). Line clear-111g Cir 26, 27, which close the signal motor circuit for the 45 position as follows: from battery 19, through Wire 20, wire 25, contacts 26, 27, wire 28, to the motor in mechanism case 29, wire 30, wire 18 to battery 19. This circuit causes the motor to rotate and move the semaphore arm of signal WV from zero degrees to 45 where it stops. The movement of the semaphore of signal W to this position causes pole changer bars 17 and 23 to be thrown to the right which reverses the polar battery 19 relative to the line circult, comprising the wire 16, contact 15, 13 and line wire 12, extending to the next signal to the left (not shown).

Line clearing relay 21 at wound to a low resistance, say, 50 ohms, and is not energized by the small current now flowing in the circuit, because of the total resistance of the two coils of polar neutral line relay 7 which, as above given, when in series, make the sum of 900 ohms. It will be apparent that the values of these coils may be changed if conditions are warranted, but I have found in practice that the above figures have given satisfactory results. A small current flowing in the entire circuit from battery 19 at signal X through the low resistance of the line clearing relay 21 at signal X, and a high resistance of the polar neutral line relay 7 at signal W is sufficient to energize relay 7, but will not energize line clearing relay 21 at signal X.

Signal W is now at 45 and when the train enters track section b, it must be clear at This action is as follows: In Fig. 2, train Z is shown in track section b. The train wheels and axles short-circuit the track relay 6 thereby deenergizing same and closing the back contacts 14:, 15. The back contact 1 L connects with the resistance ohms) 14 This holds the line clearing relay 21 energized on the following local circuit; from common wire 0 through resistance coil 14, back contact 14, 15, wire 16, pole changer switch-bar 23, wire 22, line clearing relay 21, wire 20, battery 19, wire 18, pole changer switch-bar 17, common wire 0, back to point of beginning at resistance coil 1 F. The back contacts 5 and 6 of re lay 79 also close and create a short circuit on signal X is the 800 ohm coil of the polar neutral relay 7 as follows: from wire 4, back contact 5, 6 to common wire 0. This leaves the 100 ohm coil only in circuit and increases the current in the line circuit to a value su'iiicient to energize the line clearing relay 21 at signal X. The entry of the train in the track section I energizes the line clearing relay 21 at signal X by increasing the current in the control circuit 12 as a result of short-circuiting the 800 ohmcoil on the relay 7 through the con tacts 5, 6 of the track relay 6. This will cause the line clearing relay 21 to close its contacts 1, 2, thereby clearing the signal X from zero degrees to 45 by means of the control circuit 12 extending from signal X to signal Y, which circuit is the same as the circuit 12 extending from signal to signal X, as above explained.

ll hen signal X is clear at 4-5", pole changer switch-bars 17 and 23 are thrown to too right as shown, and this reverses the increased current now flowing from battery 15) at signal X, and this reversal of current acting on the 102 ohm coil only of polar neutral relay '7 at signal lV will cause it to throw its polar contact finger 31 to the right and close the motor circuit for throwing the signal lV from 15 to 90 as follows: from battery 19, wire 20, wire 25, neutral contact 25, 26, wire 27, polar contact 31, 32, wire 33 to motor in mechanism case 29, wire 30 and wire 18, back to battery 19. This circuit causes the motor to again rotate and move the semaphore arm of signal XV from 15 to 90 where it stops. The movement of the arm from to 90 does not affect the pole changer, the pole changer being operated only by the movement of the semaphore mechanism from zero degrees to 415.

Line clearing relays 21, 21, etc, may he made slow-releasing by putting a copper shell on them in the well known manner so as not to open the control circuit while the pole charger is reversing. There will be no very great diiiiculty in this connection because of the fact that the current flows through these coils always in the same direction so that the residual magnetism would probably be sulficient to hold up the relay armature without any special provision for that purpose.

Fig. 3 shows a condition of the circuit when the train has entered the block extending fro-m signal to signal X. Track relay 0 is deenergized and its front contact 9 is open. This holds the control circuit wire 12 open in the rear of the train so that polar neutral relay 7 cannot be energized, and the semaphore lV will remain at stop. Back contart .10, 11 is closed, and this holds energized, under resistance, line clearing rclay 21 at signal X. so as to hold signal X When the train proceeds into section (I, it will be obvious that the track relay (Z will be (lo-energized which will continue the open condition of the control wire 12 behind the train, thus preventing polar neutral line relay 7 at signal from being again energized. The deenergization of track relay (5 would automatically close the back contact 14:, 15, which would keep the line clearing relay 21 energized and therefore hold the signal X at 4-5". The decnergization of track relay (1 also closes the bark contacts 6, 5 and short-circuits thev high resistance coil of polar neutral line relay 7 at signal X in the same fashion that this was accomplished in Fig. 2 at signal when the train entered the section 7). This would cause the signal Y to move to 45 which in turn would reverse the current and cause the signal X to move to 90 as above explained.

From the foregoing it will be seen that for a given signal, say, X, when the adj acent signal on the approaching side has been moved from zero degrees to 45 the line clearing relay 21 of signal X will be energized but will not be sufliciently energized to cause it to pick up its armature due to the fact that the total resistance of the relay 7 at signal WV is in series with this relay, thus making the current insu'ilicient to pick up the armature. When, however, a train enters the section Z), a large portion oi the resistance of the relay 7 is short-circuited, which allows the current to energize the relay 21 suliiciently to pick up its armature, and this closes the contacts 1, 2, thereby completing the circuit of the relay 7, which, in turn, picks up the armature 27, thereby completing the motor circuit of the signal X to move the signal X from Zero to 45. During the movement of this signal to the 45 position, the pole changer is operated and thereby reverses the current through the circuit including the relays 21 and 7, thereby causing the polarized armature 31 of the relay 7 to close the circuit for operating the semaphore of signal VJ from 45 to 90.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a three-position normal danger electric signal system, the combination of two signals, each adapted to take a plurality of positions, a two-wire signal circuit containing two magnets for controlling said signals and arranged to have its resistance varied, means dependent upon track conditions for varying the resistance of said circuit, one. of said magnets having polarized and neutral arniatures, a circuit controlled by the neutral armature oi said polarized magnet lior moving a signal. to one position and means controlled. by one oi? said signals for reversing current in said signal circuit, whereby the polarized airn'iaiiure of said polarized magnet is actuated to close a circuit to move the next signal in rear to its extreme clearing position.

in a normal danger electric signal tem, the combination of a trackway divided into sections, a plurality of signals guard ing said sections and each adapted to be moved to the 45 and 90 positions, a twowire circuit containing two magnets for controlling two oil said signals, one of said magnets having a high and a low resistance winding and adapted to close the circuit for operating its signal to the 45 position, said magnet also having a polarized. armature, means dependent upon track conditions for short-circuiting the high resistance Winding of said magnet, thereby increasing the current in said circuit and operating the signalnext in advance to the 45 position and means operated by said second signal. for reversing the current in said circuit to cause the polarized. armature to close the circuit for operating said first signal to the 90 position,

3. In a three-positien normal danger electric signaling system, a plurality of signals, a two-wire circuit connecting adjacent sig nals and arranged to have its resistance varied, means dependent upon track conditions for varying the resistance of said circuit, a polar neutral relay in said circuit, a circuit controlled by the neutral armature of said relay for moving said signal. to one position and a circuit controlled by the polarized armature of said relay for mrwing said signal to a second position and means operated by the next signal in advance for controlling said polarized armature over said two-wire circuit.

4. In a three position normal danger signaling system, a plurality of signals united by a two-wire circuit, a polar neutral relay with high and low resistance windings in said circuit, means depei'ident upon track conditions for controlling the resistance in said circuit, signal operating means dependent upon the strength of current in said circuit and means under the control of the next signal in advance for controlling the direction of current flow in said circuit.

5. In a three-position normal danger signaling system, a plurality of signals, a twowire circuit connecting adjacent signals, a polar neutral relay in said circuit at a given signal, said relay having two coils of unequal resistance, a second relay in said circuit at the next signal in advance, a track relay, and a contact controlled by said track relay iior short-circuiting one coil of the polar neutral relay whereby said second relay is energized to close a similar circuit two blocks ahead of said track relay.

ll. in a tlnfee-position normal danger signaling system, a plurality of signals, a twowire circuit connecting adjacent signals, a polar neutral relay in said circuit at a given signal, said relay having two coils of unequal resistance, a second relay in said circuit at the next signal in advance, a track relay, a contact controlled by said track relay for short-circuiting one coil of the polar neutral relay whereby said second relay is energized to close a similar circuit two blocks ahead of said track relay and also close a local circuit for operating a signal next in advance of said polar neutral relay and means under the control o'l" said signal for reversing the current .in said two-wire circuit whereby said first signal is moved from 45 to '2'. In a three-position normal danger eleclet) ' tric signaling system, a plurality of signals,

means for moving each of said signals to a oluralit of oositions a two-wire line circuit connecting adjacent signals, a polar neutral relay having two ends of unequal resistance adapted to be initially connected in series in said line circuit, a line clearing relay in said circuit at each signal non-responsive when both coils of said polar neutral relay are in said circuit, means dependent upon track conditions for shortcircuiting one coil of said polar neutral relay whereby the line clearing relay of a signal in advance of any given signal. will be energized to control a local circuit for moving its signal to L5 and means under the control of this signal for reversing the current in said' line'circuit whereby the given signal is moved to 90 under the control of said polar neutral relay.

8. In a three-position normal danger electric signaling system, a plurality of signals,

each adapted to move to a plurality of positions, a two-wire line circuit connecting adjacent signals, a polar neutral relay at a given signal having two coils of unequal resistance adapted to be initially connected in series with said line circuit, a line clearing relay in each circuit at a signal next in advance of the given signal non-responsive when both coils of said polar neutral relay are in said circuit and a source of current for said line circuit at the signal next in advance of said given signal, one wire of said line being adapted to act as a control, clear and distant wire.

9. In a threeposition normal danger electric signaling system, a plurality of signals, means for moving each oi. said signals to a plurality of positions, a two-wire line circuit connecting adjacent signals, a polar neutral relay having two coils of unequal resistance adapted to be initially connected 1 series in said line circuit, a line clearing relay in said circuit at each signal non-responsive when both coils of said polar neutral relay are in said circuit and means dependent upon track conditions for short-circuiting one coil of the said polar neutral.

relay, whereby the line clearing relay of a signal in advance of any given signal will be energized and the circuit for a signal in rear of said given signal will be opencircuited to maintain the signal in rear at danger;

10. In a normal danger three-position signalin system, two signals, each adapted to assume three positions, a; two-wire circuit uniting said signals, a battery in said cir cuit, a polar neutral relay having two coils oi. unequal resistance in said circuit, a. polechanger in said circuit operated by one of said signals in its movement from the iirst to second position, a track relay, means controlled by said track relay at the first signal for moving the second signal from first to second position, whereby the current in said circuit is reversed, a polarized armature under the control oi said polar neutral relay responsive to said reversed current for closing the local circuit for operating a motor to move said first signal from the second to third position.

11. In a three-position normal danger electric signal. system, the combination of two signals, each :ulapted to take a plurality of positions, a two-wire signal circuit con taining two magnets for controlling said signals, and arranged to have its resistance varied, means dependent upon tract; conditions for varying the resistance oi said circuit, one of said magnets having polarized and neutral armatures, a circuit controlled by the neutral armature oi? said polarized magnet for moving a signal to one position and means controlled by one oi said signals for reversing current in said signal circuit after its resistance has been changed, whereby the polarized arn'iature oi said polarized magnet is actuated to close a circuit to more said signal to its extreme clearing position.

12. In a three-position normal danger electric signaling system, a plurality oi nals, a. two-wire circuit connecting adjacent signals and arranged to have its resistance varied, means dependent upon track conditions for varying the resistance of said circuit, a polar neutral relay in said circuit, a circuit controlled by the neutral armature of said relay for moving said signal to one position and a circuit controlled by the polarized armature of said relay for moving said signal to a second position and means operated by the next signal in ad vance iior controlling said polarized urinature over said i'avo-wire circuit ai'tcr its rcsistance has been decreased.

In a. i. l1rce-positiou normal daugcr signaling system, a plurality oi signals united by a. two-wire circuit, resistaiur in said circuit, means dependent upon track conditions for controlling the resistance in said circuit, signal operating means dependent upon the strength oi current in said circuit and means under the control of the next signal in advance for controlling the direction of flow in said circuit utter its resistance has been changed.

In testimony whereof, I ha re signed my name to this specification.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. 0. 

